Typical Booby Trap
by DefinitelyNotFeitan
Summary: A one-shot. Ging falls into a trap during the Hunter Exam and can't get out.


For an "Anonymous" on Tumblr.

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Sweat dripped down his brow as he rounded a corner in an effort to escape the rolling boulder.

 _"How pathetic,"_ Ging thought to himself, making another turn deeper into the labyrinth, _"going for such typical booby traps. You would think the Hunter Association would find something better tha-"_ he was suddenly free falling, and his fingers dug into the crumbly earth walls in front of him, dirt spraying in all directions. He came to a halt, having caught on to some thick roots. He heard the boulder rolling away from him, yet now he was stuck in another predicament. Looking down, he sighed, seeing spikes sticking up out of the earth only decameters below him.

He spotted an open spot of ground, and very carefully clambered down from his situation on the wall. Satisfied with his position, he turned his attention upward, squinting at the artificial light, his hand rising up to block the rays. Not sure how he would escape this typical booby trap, he ventured to calling out, just to see if anyone was up there. No sooner had his voice stopped echoing in the small underground trap did a head bob into existence, light green locks framing their face.

 _"What an odd hair color,"_ Ging thought to himself as he once again spoke, surprised in general at having gotten anyone to approach the hole.

"Uh, hey," he started, embarrassment of his predicament presenting itself as blush on his cheeks, a hand unconsciously moving to scratch the back of his head. "You think you could help me out of here?" While he might eventually find a way out, it would be better in the long run if he could speed up the inevitably slow process with someone else's help.

No response. The head disappears, and he sighs. Of course no one would just willing help him, it was the Hunter Exams after all. After trying and failing to find a way out that wouldn't kill him in the process, he sat down, frustrated. He _really_ didn't want to sit and wait out the time to be rescued, but he _really_ didn't feel like getting impaled either. He brushed his hair back from his face, raking his fingers through the tangled mess. While moving all his plans back an entire year didn't seem all too appealing, he didn't have much of a choice in the matter. On the bright side, he would know a little more of what to expect in next year's exam; they did say it was rare for a first-timer to make on their first go through. With nothing much to do, his gaze wandered back up to the top of the pit fall trap, and that's when he saw it.

A flash of light green.

He straightened up, not sure what to expect but happy for the change of pace. Maybe he did have a way out of here. The head from earlier reappeared, though with the way the light was angled, he still couldn't make out their face.

"I see you've come back." Ging stood up, trying to better project his voice, "Did you change your mind about helping me?"

"Not necessarily," the voice came back, much more higher pitched than he expected and kind of familiar, "though if you sounded a little more distressed I'd be more motivated to aid you in your endeavor." The glint of the glasses gave it away.

"Cheadle?"

"The one and only," the smirk evident in her voice. Of course he had to be found be her.

"Listen, I would really appreciate it if you just got me out of here without me having to beg."

"Sorry, not going to happen. I want you to admit that you need my help."

Ging furrowed his eyebrows together, feigning a thought process, even though he already had his answer.

"Alright fine," he shrugged, and then with the dryest sarcasm he could muster, he spoke to Cheadle, a hand raised dramatically upward. "Help! Please, don't leave me here!" She scoffed, and retreated from the entrance above.

So maybe he shouldn't have been sarcastic.

He panicked. "Okay, wait, no, I'm sorry!" Ging wasn't even sure if she was still there, but it was worth a shot. "Please, I need your help to get out of here, you're the only one I can trust with doing that." The silence rang in his ears as he awaited a reply, hoping she wasn't too far away. He couldn't tell how much time had passed when a shadow passed over his face. He squinted, trying to make out what was coming toward him but found out soon enough when the tail end hit him in the face, making him back up against a spike.

He eyed the dangling rope, unsure of what to make of it. It was meticulously knotted every meter so that anyone could easily climb it, and tugging it, he noticed that it was tightly secured. Ging grinned, understanding then why it had taken her so long.

"Aw, Cheadle, you shouldn't have." He commented as he began to ascend, the rope holding his weight easily.

"Shut up and keep climbing, we don't have all day." He couldn't see her face, but from the short time he'd known her, he knew she was blushing. He chuckled to himself, quite touched by the actions of his fellow competitor.

Once he had reached the top, Ging felt a fist connect with the back of his head.

"What was that for?" He whined, putting one hand protectively over the injured spot.

"How could you fall for something such as a typical booby trap?" She crossed her arms across her chest, seemingly disappointed in him. "What would have happened had I not stopped by and helped you? You would have been stuck in there for the rest of the phase and would have had to come back next year! Seriously, harboring the intelligence you do I'm not quite sure how you even-"

He cut her off with a kiss, and he didn't really know why he had done it, but he felt it was the right thing to do. Pulling back, he smiled, shutting his eyes in fear of her reaction. "You have really pretty hair, you know that?" He felt Cheadle punch his arm, but this time much lighter than when she had hit him on the head.

"Let's go," she started, turning away from him and walking down the corridor he had originally come from, "we've got an hour to get out of this god forsaken maze and the only way we're getting out here is if we do this together." Ging smiled to himself and followed her lead. He had a good feeling about the results of this Hunter Exam.


End file.
